Slub catchers for yarn spinning, doubling and similar machines



Oct. 20, 1964 E. PEARSON 3,153,273

SLUB CATCHERS FOR YARN SPINNING, DOUBLING AND SIMILAR MACHINES Filed Oct. 29, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

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SLUB CATCHERS FOR YARN SPINNING, DOUBLING AND SIMILAR MACHINES Filed Oct. 29, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR:

irwa zys United States Patent 3,153,273 S'Lllh CATCHERS FDR YARN SPlNNING, BOEJBLENG AND SlMlLAlR MACHENES Edgar Pearson, Colne, England, assignor to Asqnith Electrics (Colne) Limited, Lancaster, England, a body corporate of Great Britain Filed Oct. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,658 '7 Claims. (Cl. 28-64) This invention relates to improvements in slub catchers for yarn spinning, doubling and similar machines.

Slubs or snarls in yarn are frequently formed on the side of the yarn due to passage through rollers or other processing apparatus, and known slub catchers are usually operated by slubs extending upwardly as the yarn passes through the catcher.

The object of the invention is to provide a slub catcher which substantially surrounds the yarn in order that it may be operated by any slub or snarl therein.

According to the invention a yarn passes through a peripheral slot in a disc or cylinder and is engaged by a feeler, any slub or snarl on the yarn causing the feeler to lift to trip a knife mechanism to sever the yarn.

In order to discriminate in the detecting and cutting out of different types of yarn fault, the invention can take the form of two feelers of a pair of discs or cylinders being arranged so that one feeler has an instantaneous action and the other feeler has a delayed action in operating the yarn cutting device. The disc or drum of the first feeler is set so as to only operate on large slubs or snarls and on the detection of such yarn faults, the cutter will be immediately actuated. The disc or drum of the second feeler is set to be a close fit to the normal diameter of the yearn, so that it will detect small increases in yarn diameter, together with other small yarn faults, but due to the delay in actuating the yarn cutting device, short length faults such as small knots, neps and slabs will pass through the device without the yarn be ing cut.

An increase in yarn diameter, due to an additional ply being in the yarn (spinners double) which continues for a few inches or more, will hold the feeler open for a sufiicient length of time to actuate the yarn cutting device.

A still further form of the invention can be used to discriminate in the cutting out of yarn faults and this is by the use of three discs or drums with their respective feelers arranged so that two of the feelers (which are set for small increases in yarn diameter) are connected in parallel on an electric circuit, thus requiring both feelers to be actuated together to operate the cutting device. The third feeler, which is set for large yarn diameter faults, is connected in the electric circuit so that by itself it will give instantaneous actuation of the cutter.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of slub catcher.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of same.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram therefor.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 are diagrammatic perspective views of a further form employing two discs or two drums 'or cylinders respectively the feelers of which are connected in series.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram therefor.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a similar form employing two drums the feelers of which are connected in series.

FIG. 7 is a section on line 77 FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a section on line 8-8 FIG. 6, showing the cylinder in position for mounting on a unit.

3,153,273 Patented et. 20, 1964 FIG. 9 is a similar section showing the cylinder in the working position.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a further form employing two discs the feelers of which are connected in parallel and a third independent disc.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram therefor.

The yarn passes through a slotted disc A or through a peripheral slot in a cylinder or drum A and the operation of the slub catching unit is the same whether the disc A or the cylinder or drum A are employed.

The disc A is formed with a plurality of transverse peripheral V slots (1 each slot varying in depth and width progressively around the disc and the disc may be rotated and locked in position so as to present a suitable size of slot 0 in the path of the yarn to be fault detected.

The cylinder or drum A is formed with a peripheral slot (1 the depth of the slot varying progressively around the cylinder which is turned to select the depth of the slot immediately opposite a detector feeler D suitable for the count of yarn being processed.

In the unit shown in FIG. 1 or 2 the yarn passes through a thread guide b, the selected slot a in the disc A between a knife C and an anvil C to a second thread guide b through which it leaves the unit. The unit is closed by hinged lids or covers [2 The feeler D is placed and adjusted so that the feeler is in close proximity to the selected slot a in the disc A, to form an almost closed aperture through which the yarn passes. So long as the yarn passing through the slot a remains of a uniform thickness, no pressure will be exerted against the feeler D by the yarn but if a slub or knot in the yarn which is larger than the slot :1 passes through the slot the feeler D will be lifted away from the slot, thus slightly rotating a shaft a carrying the feeler D and thereby opening a detector switch d A spring d is provided to press the feeler towards the slotted disc A. An adjustable contact is screwed against a moving contact until the shaft d is rotated slightly against the action of the spring. This setting of the contacts, by reason of the rotating of the shaft spaces the feeler slightly out of engagement with the slotted disc. This space is only a few thousandths of an inch at the correct setting and in this condition the set of the spring presses the moving contact against the second contact.

A cutting blade C is mounted on a second shaft C and the cutter anvil is spaced a short distance away from the cutter, allowing a space for the yarn to pass between the cutter and the anvil C (when the cutter blade is open). An electro-magnet C holds an armature which is mounted on the other end of the second shaft C against the action of a spring C thus holding the cutter open. A contact C is mounted on, but electrically insulated from the armature C When the armature C is held by the electromagnet C the contact is held in contact with a fixed contact, thus providing a holding or retaining switch. The fixed guides b, [2 keep the yarn presented both to the detector unit and the cutter unit in the correct position. The detector unit and the cutting unit together with guides may be mounted in one enclosure or, alternatively the detector unit may be in a separate enclosure and the cutter unit in another enclosure-in this latter arrangement two guides are provided for each separate unit.

A hole or aperture a is formed in one face of the V slotted disc A opposite each slot to engage a pin on a slotted bracket a forming the bearing for the spindle a of the disc.

The spindle a is cranked and inserted into the slot in the bracket with the chosen index mark at the top and the pin enters the appropriate hole in the disc. The spindle is then rotated through approximately and the $9 arm of the spindle rides over a cam surface a, on the bracket to lock the discs.

A red b may be inserted through the casing of the unit to pass over the spindle arm to prevent the alteration of the chosen V slots until after the rod has been removed.

The disc A may be numbered or calibrated to provide an indication of each particular slot a for use in selecting the required slot. When employing a drum or cylinder A the groove or slot a is formed circumferentially thereof and varies in depth and width from zero to a maximum in traversing some 350 of the surface. The drum or cylinder A (FIGS. 8 and 9) is provided with a loose sleeve having a flange at the bottom A. This flange fits into a counterbore B in the base of the unit B. Sullicient tolerance is allowed between the flange of the sleeve and the counterbore to allow the sleeve to rock over at an angle as shown in FIG. 8. Two pillars B are mounted on the base at a radial distance from the axis of the pin which is less than the radius of the drum or cylinder. In mounting the drum or cylinder on the unit, it is applied to pin B as shown in PEG. 8. When the pin B is loosened, the drum can be turned around in order to set the correct depth of slot in relation to the feeler for the particular yarn to be run, When pin B is tightened a Washer under the head of the pin comes into contact with a rubber or other suitable resilient ring or washer, thus pressing the drum down on to base B. A further tightening of pin B will then bring the washer into engagement with the top of the sleeve and as pin 3 is tightened still further, it will force the sleeve A down into the counterbore B in base B. This pressure on the sleeve will make the sleeve tend to become upright and in so doing, the Wall of the sleeve will press against the bore in the drum at point X and force the drum or cylinder into engagement with the pillars B thereby ensuring that the cylinder or drum is accurately positioned.

An index mark is provided on a bar B mounted between the upper ends of the pillars B registering with a calibrated disc A of the drum or cylinder so that by rotating the drum or cylinder about the sleeve A it can be locked by the pin B to bring any portion of the groove or slot A into a position to be engaged by the yarn as this latter passes between the guides B, B

The movement of each feeler D is limited by a stop d which prevents the feeler from being thrown outwards more than a predetermined distance as a slub passes between the disc or drum and the feeler.

It has been found that discrimination between different types of yarn fault is advantageous and in order to detect an unwanted additional ply in the yarn where an end has broken and become caught up with an adjacent end during spinning and arrangement such as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 operating with two discs A connected in series to operate the knife C can be used. FiGS. 69 show a similar arrangement employing two drums r cylinders A The arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 and employing two discs A or drums or cylinders A disc A or cylinder A may be arranged to operate instantaneously to control the switch C which is connected directly in series with a cutter operating electro magnet C and the second detecting device which operates with a time delay, controls a switch C which although interrupting the current through the electro magnet C of the cutter is provided with capacitor C in circuit across the electro-magnet winding and this capacitor, by discharging back through the electromagnet winding, automatically provides a time delay in the operation of the cutter.

In operation one instantaneous detecting device is set to pick out large size or large diameter yarn faults and the delayed detecting device is set very line so as to detect a small increase in yarn diameter, such as would be caused by an extra ply in the yarn (Spinners double) and if this larger diameter or double yarn persists for more than a predetermined length it is detected and the yarn automatically cut, whereas a very small slub or nep in the yarn will pass through the detecting device without operating the cutter. The devices thus form a means of discriminating between yarn faults i.e. allowing small knots, neps and slabs to pass and yet cutting out thick yarn or Spinners double, together with the larger faults which the instantaneous detecting device is set for.

A further method of discriminating between the different types of yarn fault is to use three discs A or drums or cylinders A FIGS. 10 and 11.

The detector switches operated by two of the feelers (1st and 3rd on the drawing) are connected in parallel the discs or drums being mounted a distance apart. This distance to be somewhat greater than the length of double or four fold yarn which can be tolerated in the yarn so that when a double or four fold length of yarn passes greater in length than the distance between the detector feelers D both feelers will be opened at the same time and thus operate to cut the yarn or stop the machine whereas if a knot passes the feelers will operate in sequence and the circuit to the cutter magnet or stop motion will not be broken. The third disc or drum (the middle one shown on FIG. 10) is set to detect only large yarn faults and the switch operated by this centre detector unit is connected in series with the parallel switches of the other two detector units and when the centre detector switch is operated by a large yarn fault it will by itself operate the yarn cutting device.

What I claim is:

l. A slub detector unit for yarn spinning, doubling and similar machines comprising a casing for the unit, a pair of cylinders spaced apart and rotatably mounted in the casing and each having a radially outwardly opening V shaped peripheral groove therein through which the yarn passes, said groove having a progressively increasing depth throughout its length, means for locking each cylinder in the desired position, a feeler engaging said groove in each cylinder, an electric circuit having parallel switches arranged in parallel circuit relationship and being associated one with each of said feelers to be respectively actuated thereby, a knife and anvil mounted in the unit casing with the knife associated electrically in parallel with both switches whereby the electric circuit is only open to cut the yarn and stop the machine when both switches are open together and a timing device to delay the operation of the knife to detect double yarn.

2. A slub detector unit for yarn spinning, doubling, and like machines comprising a rotatably mounted cylinder having a radially outwardly opening yarn gauging groove formed in the external surface thereof, said groove having a progressively increasing depth throughout its length, a displaceable feeler biased to engage said cylinder radially opposite said groove, means for non-rotatably locking said cylinder in a selected angular position with a desired region of said groove opposite said feeler, means for guiding yarn and any yarn defects freely and non-wedgingly through the region of said groove opposite said feeler and between the bottom of said groove and said feeler to permit said feeler to be displaced by a defective enlargement in said yarn, cutting means actuatable to sever said yarn, an energizing circuit for actuating said cutting means, .and .means responsive to predetermined displacement of said feeler to activate said circuit for permitting actuation of said cutting means.

3. A slub detector unit for yarn spinning, doubling, and like machines comprising a pair of spaced apart rotatably mounted cylinders each having a radially outwardly opening peripheral yarn gauging V-shaped groove formed in the exterior surface thereof with each groove having a progressively increasing depth throughout its length, a pivotally mounted feeler for each cylinder, means biasing each feeler into engagement with its associated cylinder radially opposite said groove therein, means for non-rotatably locking each of said cylinders in a selected angular position with a desired region of said groove opposite the feeler associated therewith, means for guiding yarn and any yarn defects freely through the grooves of said cylinders and between the bottom of each groove and the feeler associated therewith to permit each feeler to be pivotally displaced by predetermined defective enlargements in said yarn, cutting means operable to sever said yarn, and an electric control circuit having a pair of switches disposed in parallel and each actuatable to operate said cutting means, said switches being so arranged as to be actuated by pivotal displacement of said feelers occurring from defective yarn enlargement pass ing through the grooves in respective ones of said cylinders.

4. The slub detector unit defined in claim 3 comprising capacitor means in said circuit and cooperating with one of said switches to permit operation of said cutting means for severing said yarn only in response to the detection by the feeler associated with said one switch of a predetermined length of double yarn, the other of said switches being actuated to operate said cutting means in response to the detection of yarn slubs by the feeler associated therewith.

5. The slub detector unit defined in claim 3 wherein said cutting means comprises a cutter, means biasing said cutter to a position for severing said yarn, and wherein normally energized solenoid means is disposed in said circuit for holding said cutter in inoperative position, said solenoid means being de-energizable by actuation of one of said switches to release said cutter for severing said yarn,

6. The slub detector unit defined in claim 2 wherein a base is provided for supporting said cylinder and wherein said locking means comprises an upright sleeve freely extending into said cylinder through a bottom therein, said base having an upwardly opening recess receiving the lower end of said sleeve, a post extending through said sleeve and being threaded into said base, means between said post and the upper end of said sleeve for non-rotatably securing said cylinder on said base and for positioning said sleeve to laterally displace said cylinder upon tightening said post, and abutment means mounted on said base for limiting said lateral movement to properly locate said cylinder in relation to said feeler.

7. The slub detector unit defined in claim 6 comprising dial indicator means carried by said cylinder for indicating the angular position of said cylinder relative to said feeler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 813,372 Foster Feb. 20, 1906 1,403,354 Springstead Ian. 10, 1922 1,903,546 Kaufmann Apr. 11, 1933 1,914,303 Shipman June 13, 1933 2,565,500 Ingham Aug. 28, 1951 3,067,481 Hammink Dec. 11, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 212,769 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1924 488,239 Great Britain July 4, 1938 

1. A SLUB DETECTOR UNIT FOR YARN SPINNING, DOUBLING AND SIMILAR MACHINES COMPRISING A CASING FOR THE UNIT, A PAIR OF CYLINDERS SPACED APART AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE CASING AND EACH HAVING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OPENING V SHAPED PERIPHERAL GROOVE THEREIN THROUGH WHICH THE YARN PASSES, SAID GROOVE HAVING A PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING DEPTH THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH, MEANS FOR LOCKING EACH CYLINDER IN THE DESIRED POSITION, A FEELER ENGAGING SAID GROOVE IN EACH CYLINDER, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT HAVING PARALLEL SWITCHES ARRANGED IN PARALLEL CIRCUIT RELATIONSHIP AND BEING ASSOCIATED ONE WITH EACH OF SAID FEELERS TO BE RESPECTIVELY ACTUATED THEREBY, A KNIFE AND ANVIL MOUNTED IN THE UNIT CASING WITH THE KNIFE ASSOCIATED ELECTICALLY IN PARALLEL WITH BOTH SWITCHES WHEREBY THE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT IS ONLY OPEN TO CUT THE YARN AND STOP THE MACHINE WHEN BOTH SWITCHES ARE OPEN TOGETHER AND A TIMING DEVICE TO DELAY THE OPERATION OF THE KNIFE TO DETECT DOUBLE YARN. 